Mixing Up a Murder at the Manor

from Joy of Medina County Magazine July 2023

by Joy of Medina County Magazine

Invention Convention

by Mary Olson

Book: “The Golden Spoon”

Author: Jessa Maxwell

Rating (out of 5 possible):

“The Golden Spoon” is a not-quite-cozy mystery set at a Vermont chateau where America’s best bakers have gathered to compete in a beloved televised baking competition.

Grafton Manor has seen better days, but Betsy Martin is singularly focused on keeping the Manor afloat. Every June, she opens her home to a television crew and six carefully vetted home bakers to film Bake Week.

With a huge white tent on the expansive grounds of the manor and amateur bakers from vastly different walks of life, Bake Week is one of America’s must-watched shows. This year, however, something seems off.

First, a burner is secretly turned too high, ruining one competitor’s creation. Then, a homemade extract is replaced with gasoline and only discovered when the baker, in his perfectionism, tastes it before adding to his recipe.

When a fierce storm rolls in and a body is found hanging from the ceiling of the tent, can the show go on?

Every element of this debut mystery is delightful. Grafton Manor itself is a character: a little shabby with some skeletons in its closets, but perfectly described so the reader can visualize its many rooms, long halls, heavy wooden doors, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Betsy Martin has earned the nickname “America’s grandmother,” but is she really the warm, sweet-smelling woman she portrays on Bake Week?

Of the six bakers, three stand out. Lottie is the oldest competitor with a connection to Grafton Manor that she is determined to uncover, and she is willing to risk her place on the show to find it.

Pradyumna cares very little about baking; he is here to stave off his recurring depression and take advantage of Grafton Manor’s extensive wine and liquor collection.

Stella is dealing with trauma and cannot make it through a day without panic and blackouts and is clearly the least experienced baker in the group. Could she have an ulterior motive for being at Grafton?

Each character narrates their chapters, giving the novel seven distinct voices. Every person’s backstory is revealed gradually as the plot moves steadily toward its shocking conclusion.

“The Golden Spoon” is the perfect recipe for your next mystery novel.

Mary Olson is the readers’ advisory librarian at the Medina County District Library. To learn more about her, go to https:// bit.ly/3gZ1mg1